The present invention is directed to a tube handling apparatus which loads and unloads tubes, such as hoses, on mandrels. In constructing hoses used, for example, in the automobile industry, single layer or multilayered tubes or hoses are often formed in a cylindrical shape. After formation, if bends are required in the final hose structure, the hose is placed on a mandrel having a shape corresponding to the desired final shape of the hose structure. It is then common practice to transfer a plurality of the hoses positioned on the mandrels to an oven, where the hoses are heated and cured. After removal from the oven, it is then necessary to remove the completed hoses from the mandrels. New uncured hoses are then positioned on the mandrels for the subsequent cycle.
The prior art has used lubricants on the mandrels to aid the manual positioning of uncured hoses onto the mandrels. However, as the shape of the finalized hose product becomes more complex often having several acute angle bends, even with the help of lubricants, it becomes a difficult, if not impossible manual operation to load the hoses onto the mandrels. It is even more difficult to remove the cured tubes or hoses from the mandrels after curing.
The prior art has suggested the use of, for example, a cylinder to push the uncured hoses upon a mandrel. This prior art apparatus often does not perform satisfactorily when the mandrel bends become more complex.
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved tube handling apparatus which positions and removes hoses on mandrels having complex configurations.